The Sugar Act Kiki Ventura, Erin Carroll, Deah Dushyanth
Question 1. Describe the act or event.
The sugar act was set upon the colonists by the King and Parliament of England in 1764.
This act was adopted to form a strict custom system to be enforced at ports so traders smuggling
with other countries could be stopped. Smuggling goods in this case meant trading with other
countries without the goods going through Britain first. If a colonist was caught smuggling he
would be put on trial in Britain. In addition, Britain put a duty on the colonist for the trading of
molasses and sugar. The tax was considered quite fair in price by the English, because the
amount of money a colonist was taxed was based upon the colony’s budget.
Book
Davidson, James West. "The Colonists Resist Tighter Control." America History of Our Nation. Boston, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall, 2011. 145-149. Print.
Question 2. Why Was It Created?
The sugar act was intended to create a tight hold on the colonists. This was because
the British thought they were becoming more relaxed with their trading system towards
the colonists. With this tight hold, the British felt they could scare the colonists into
acting more obedient towards the laws passed by Britain. Therefore, with the colonists
more obedient towards the law, the British could create more taxes.
Davidson, James West. "The Colonists Resist Tighter Control." America History of Our Nation. Boston, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall, 2011. 145-149. Print.
After the Sugar Act was passed, the colonists reacted very angrily towards the British. Thirty-one years before the Sugar Act, the Molasses Act was passed. During the Molasses Act, the colonist could smuggle sugar and would not be taxed for it. However, during the Sugar Act, the colonists now had to pay an import tax on sugar. Their lifestyles were changing depending on how much sugar they needed. After having to pay for taxes on sugar and having to buy all their other necessities, in the end the colonists were losing a lot of money. I can understand the colonists were very angry. I would also be very angry if I could smuggle sugar and not have to worry about taxes for it and then, when the Sugar Act came out, I had to pay taxes on sugar including all my other necessities. This shows taxes were a big deal to colonists back then, and still are even today. When the Sugar Act ended, more acts quickly became established.
Davidson, James West. America History of our Nation . N.p.: n.p., 2011. Print.
"Molasses Act ." go.grolier.com. Encyclapedia Americana, 5 Dec. 2011. Web. 5 Dec. 2011.
What followed?
The effect of the colonists’ reaction to the Sugar Act caused a new act, the Quartering Act, to be established by Parliament a year later. Parliament passed this law to save money. The law stated that the colonists had to open their homes to British soldiers. They were told to provide them with food, water and other necessities. The colonists were again unhappy with Parliament because they did not believe it was fair to give their food and water to soldiers. They began to protest saying that Parliament was “violating their rights” (cite this!<--) This was similar to the Sugar Act, because the colonists were also very unhappy with Parliament, because the colonists had to pay taxes on sugar and the money would go to Parliament. During the Quartering Act they had to pay for their food and water and then give it away to the needy soldiers, just so Parliament could save money. Both these acts had to do with giving money to Parliament. If I were a colonist, I would be very angry too. I believe that it was not fair for the colonists to follow the law and spend their money and all the money would be given to Parliament. This shows that the colonists reacted very similar in both the Sugar Act and the Quartering Act.
"Sugar Act (1764)." abc-clio.com . American History , 5 Dec. 2011. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. [[http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/ 298837?terms=sugar+act]].
Erin Carroll history 7-2
Question- How did their reaction affect the British? The colonists’ reaction affected the British because they did not benefit from the way that the colonists were boycotting products made in Britain. Colonists were boycotting all products that were made in England, and starting to make their own products. This affected the British very negatively. Firstly, the British were losing money in trade because the colonists were trying their best not to trade with Britain. Also, the British were slowly losing their control over the colonists, as riots and protests raged on, against the Sugar Acts, and others acts like it.
Works Cited
Davidson, James West. “The Colonists Resist Tighter Control.” America History of Our Nation. Boston, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall, 2011. 145-149. Print.
Parliament of England. “Sugar Act (1764).” American History Abc Clio. Ed. Judy Fay, et al. Abc Clio, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. <http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/298837?terms=sugar+act>.
Question –How did the colonists react or overreact to the Sugar Act? The colonists reacted to the Sugar Act, in many ways. Most, though had a similar opinion; they didn’t like it. For example, Bostonians were angry, and conducted a town meeting, to look over and evaluate the Sugar Act. The people of Boston found the taxes of molasses unfair, as well as the new thorough checking for smuggled items at the docks and trading areas. They confronted the colonial legislator of Massachusetts, cautioning them to stay true to their traditional rights, and not let the sugar act affect anything that they decided. People in New York on the other hand, took a more immediate and law abiding action. People advised others that they should stop using products manufactured in Britain, and start producing their own items. The colonists’ reactions were not overboard, but they were not reasonable either. The British made the tax slightly fair, by taxing each colony according its economic strata. Also, the colonist’s had to except that Britain had helped them in the French and Indian war, making them slightly in debt to the British. But at the same time, the British were not being entirely fair either. Ever since the first time that they colonies were founded, Britain did not pay overpower them too much, besides enforcing some rules about trade. Suddenly after the French and Indian war, Britain starts to use their power over the colonies, to create laws that gave them decision to everything. This came as a big blow to the colonists, because before that point, they had been able to have more of a say in things. In conclusion, the colonists did not like the sugar act, but their reactions were not wrong. At the same time, their reactions were not exactly reasonable.
Works Cited
Davidson, James West. “The Colonists Resist Tighter Control.” America History of Our Nation. Boston, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall, 2011. 145-149. Print.
Parliament of England. “Sugar Act (1764).” American History Abc Clio. Ed. Judy Fay, et al. Abc Clio, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. <http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/298837?terms=sugar+act>.
“The Sugar Act.” Massachusetts Historical Society. Massachusetts Historical Society, 2008. Web. 3 Dec. 2011. <http://www.masshist.org/revolution/sugar.php>.
Kiki Ventura, Erin Carroll, Deah Dushyanth
Question 1. Describe the act or event.
The sugar act was set upon the colonists by the King and Parliament of England in 1764.
This act was adopted to form a strict custom system to be enforced at ports so traders smuggling
with other countries could be stopped. Smuggling goods in this case meant trading with other
countries without the goods going through Britain first. If a colonist was caught smuggling he
would be put on trial in Britain. In addition, Britain put a duty on the colonist for the trading of
molasses and sugar. The tax was considered quite fair in price by the English, because the
amount of money a colonist was taxed was based upon the colony’s budget.
Our Nation. Boston, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall, 2011. 145-149. Print.
Question 2. Why Was It Created?
The sugar act was intended to create a tight hold on the colonists. This was because
the British thought they were becoming more relaxed with their trading system towards
the colonists. With this tight hold, the British felt they could scare the colonists into
acting more obedient towards the laws passed by Britain. Therefore, with the colonists
more obedient towards the law, the British could create more taxes.
Fay, et al. Abc Clio, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2011.
<http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/
298837?terms=sugar+act
Fay, et al. Abc Clio, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2011.
<http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/
298837?terms=sugar+act>.
Our Nation. Boston, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall, 2011. 145-149. Print.
Society, 2008. Web. 3 Dec. 2011. <http://www.masshist.org/revolution/
sugar.php>.
Fay, et al. Abc Clio, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2011.
<http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/
298837?terms=sugar+act
After the Sugar Act was passed, the colonists reacted very angrily towards the British. Thirty-one years before the Sugar Act, the Molasses Act was passed. During the Molasses Act, the colonist could smuggle sugar and would not be taxed for it. However, during the Sugar Act, the colonists now had to pay an import tax on sugar. Their lifestyles were changing depending on how much sugar they needed. After having to pay for taxes on sugar and having to buy all their other necessities, in the end the colonists were losing a lot of money. I can understand the colonists were very angry. I would also be very angry if I could smuggle sugar and not have to worry about taxes for it and then, when the Sugar Act came out, I had to pay taxes on sugar including all my other necessities. This shows taxes were a big deal to colonists back then, and still are even today. When the Sugar Act ended, more acts quickly became established.
Davidson, James West. America History of our Nation . N.p.: n.p., 2011. Print.
"Molasses Act ." go.grolier.com. Encyclapedia Americana, 5 Dec. 2011. Web. 5 Dec. 2011.
What followed?
The effect of the colonists’ reaction to the Sugar Act caused a new act, the Quartering Act, to be established by Parliament a year later. Parliament passed this law to save money. The law stated that the colonists had to open their homes to British soldiers. They were told to provide them with food, water and other necessities. The colonists were again unhappy with Parliament because they did not believe it was fair to give their food and water to soldiers. They began to protest saying that Parliament was “violating their rights” (cite this!<--) This was similar to the Sugar Act, because the colonists were also very unhappy with Parliament, because the colonists had to pay taxes on sugar and the money would go to Parliament. During the Quartering Act they had to pay for their food and water and then give it away to the needy soldiers, just so Parliament could save money. Both these acts had to do with giving money to Parliament. If I were a colonist, I would be very angry too. I believe that it was not fair for the colonists to follow the law and spend their money and all the money would be given to Parliament. This shows that the colonists reacted very similar in both the Sugar Act and the Quartering Act.
"Sugar Act (1764)." abc-clio.com . American History , 5 Dec. 2011. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. [[http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/ 298837?terms=sugar+act]].
Erin Carroll history 7-2
The colonists’ reaction affected the British because they did not benefit from the way that the colonists were boycotting products made in Britain. Colonists were boycotting all products that were made in England, and starting to make their own products. This affected the British very negatively. Firstly, the British were losing money in trade because the colonists were trying their best not to trade with Britain. Also, the British were slowly losing their control over the colonists, as riots and protests raged on, against the Sugar Acts, and others acts like it.
Works Cited
Davidson, James West. “The Colonists Resist Tighter Control.” America History of Our Nation. Boston, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall, 2011. 145-149. Print.
Parliament of England. “Sugar Act (1764).” American History Abc Clio. Ed. Judy Fay, et al. Abc Clio, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. <http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/298837?terms=sugar+act>.
“The Sugar Act.” Massachusetts Historical Society. Massachusetts Historical Society, 2008. Web. 3 Dec. 2011. <http://www.masshist.org/revolution/sugar.php>.
Question –How did the colonists react or overreact to the Sugar Act?
The colonists reacted to the Sugar Act, in many ways. Most, though had a similar opinion; they didn’t like it. For example, Bostonians were angry, and conducted a town meeting, to look over and evaluate the Sugar Act. The people of Boston found the taxes of molasses unfair, as well as the new thorough checking for smuggled items at the docks and trading areas. They confronted the colonial legislator of Massachusetts, cautioning them to stay true to their traditional rights, and not let the sugar act affect anything that they decided. People in New York on the other hand, took a more immediate and law abiding action. People advised others that they should stop using products manufactured in Britain, and start producing their own items. The colonists’ reactions were not overboard, but they were not reasonable either. The British made the tax slightly fair, by taxing each colony according its economic strata. Also, the colonist’s had to except that Britain had helped them in the French and Indian war, making them slightly in debt to the British. But at the same time, the British were not being entirely fair either. Ever since the first time that they colonies were founded, Britain did not pay overpower them too much, besides enforcing some rules about trade. Suddenly after the French and Indian war, Britain starts to use their power over the colonies, to create laws that gave them decision to everything. This came as a big blow to the colonists, because before that point, they had been able to have more of a say in things. In conclusion, the colonists did not like the sugar act, but their reactions were not wrong. At the same time, their reactions were not exactly reasonable.
Works Cited
Davidson, James West. “The Colonists Resist Tighter Control.” America History of Our Nation. Boston, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall, 2011. 145-149. Print.
Parliament of England. “Sugar Act (1764).” American History Abc Clio. Ed. Judy Fay, et al. Abc Clio, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. <http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/298837?terms=sugar+act>.
“The Sugar Act.” Massachusetts Historical Society. Massachusetts Historical Society, 2008. Web. 3 Dec. 2011. <http://www.masshist.org/revolution/sugar.php>.